My Weekend Rage

It really isn’t that hard to be a decent human being. Or, at least, it shouldn’t be that hard. Treat people with respect. Be kind whenever possible. Help those less fortunate. Fight for justice for all. Stand up against those who oppress, demean or exploit others. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, maybe floss.

Sadly it comes as no surprise that people do not always do these things – let alone the flossing. And it will come as even less of a surprise that men can be trash. Yes, yes, I know – there goes another man-hating lesbian on a rant about hating men.

In the wake of the revelations about film honco Harvey Weinstein’s horrific, decades-long sexual abuse and assault of women, it’s beyond time to ask ourselves why men do these things to women. Why do men feel entitled to violate women’s bodies in this way? Because they always have? Because they always can?

Rape culture is real, and causes real harm. These aren’t just a few “old dinosaurs” learning to navigate the new, confusing mores of the modern world. This is deeply ingrained belief that women and our bodies are made primarily for male consumption and satisfaction. That it is therefore normal for men to aggressively assert themselves over women. Consent is for pussies, amirite? And, anyway, women claiming to be victims of sexual violence are somehow asking for it. I mean, why did she wear that? What did she think going up to his room? Don’t they know that’s how the world works? Or, conversely, why didn’t women come forward sooner to stop it. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Just fucking damned.

But it’s not normal, none of this is normal, and we should fight this toxic culture at every turn. The men, particularly powerful men, who feel they hold dominion over women’s bodies must be unequivocally purged from public life. The Harvey Weinsteins. The Bill Cosbys. The Roger Aileses. The Bill O’Reillys. The Donald Fucking Trumps.

It really isn’t that hard to be a decent human being. Don’t sexually harass women (or anyone). Don’t invite us to your hotel room for a business meeting and greet us in nothing but a bathrobe and then demand a naked massage. Don’t pop into our dressing rooms uninvited. Don’t jerk off into a potted plant in front of us. Don’t grab us by the pussy. Don’t tell us we’ll love your dick. Don’t send us unsolicited pictures of your dick. Really don’t do anything with your dick in a professional setting, ever. Don’t, and I can’t stress this enough, rape anyone. Seems crazy to have to say it, but here we are.

Be a decent human being. Teach young and old men to be decent human beings. Believe women, support women. It’s the only decent thing to do. Happy weekend, all.